My Furry Tale
by teh 4th freakee fairet
Summary: [now here is my new'n'improved summary... ] JD gets kidnapped and grafted with wolf DNA but is rejected and, with Dr. Cox's help, manages to return some normalcy to his life. That is, till they come back for him... [JDCox, don't like it? don't read it.]
1. My Friend, We Meet Again

**so, here's a new story i wanted to try. now i have to warn you, this story is solely for my enjoyment only. it could never, ever happen in the actual show. it's completely some crazy idea my twisted mind has compiled and put into words. so, obviously, it had to be put onto fanfiction! please r&r!**

**Summary: **JD, after disappearing for weeks, is found with the strangest new appearence. He can't 'fix' it and no one but Dr. Cox can know about it, So, can JD hide his big secret or will it leak out? And if it does, will it end up doing more damage than he ever imagined possible?

**Rating:** I'll stick with the T rating just so I have room to stretch my imagination. No rated M moments, though I might put those parts in a serperate fic so I can keep this one available to the the majority of the fanfic readers.

Regular text.

"Speaking."

_Thinking_.

(Author's notes within story.)

* * *

My Furry Tale

_Chapter One: My Friend, We Meet Again_

The air was cold and stale, yet had a thick quality to it that seemed to weigh down one's chest and limbs if inhaled. Here in the forbidding gloom was a dark cell, much like one would find in prison. In the furthermost corner, wrapped up in inky shadows, a creature stirred. Its body was growing numb as the bare cement of the floor sucked heat from its body like the insatiable hunger of some terrible beast. Chains clinked together, hanging from the metal collar around its neck. With its back against the wall, it had pulled its knees to its chest in a futile attempt to retain some scrap of warmth.

There was a sudden sound, like the unbarring of a door, and the creature's ears perked up and twitched. Despite the dismal environment and gradual but sure loss of any and all hope, every now and then, the creature would catch a glimpse of light to the far side, apparently granted entry momentarily by the opening of a door. It was then that the creature could see the torn jeans clinging to its legs and the shirt dirtied and hanging off its chest and arms. Light would reflect off the bars he'd discovered long ago and a reverse shadow would fall silently over the hallway beyond these.

Just as the light appeared, it was gone. These tiny respites did little but bring the creature further into confusion and despair. As the light, the symbol of hope and warmth and love, vanished, its pointed ears folded back in self-pity. In its heart-of-hearts, it despised its own vulnerability and yet desperately scoured its memories for someone that might come save it from this horrid place.

But as silence stretched out in the darkness left by the closing of the door, the creature let tears slid down its cheeks once more and slowly, it drifted into a world of dreams and memories.

------

There was a familiar motion that the creature recognized. It lay paralyzed at the floor of a car's back seats as the automobile bumped over a road, its eyes cracked open barely as hissing voices came back to him.

One voice danced bitter and accusing through the air. "Why can't we just get rid of it?! I can't help thinking that it knows what happened. If that's the case, it'll just track us down and-"

But the other voice was sly. "No! That would be impossible. It never saw us once, not even when they would go in to tranquilize it to get it out of the cell. If we just dump it off where we found it, then we'll be safe."

"How y'figure?" the first voice replied, now genuinely interested, desperate to save its own skin.

"This way, if the boss gets ratted out somehow, _we _can't get charged for murder. All we did was pick it up then drop it off from where we got it. No harm, no foul."

The creature struggled to remain somewhat conscious, wanting to know more, anything, that might help, but the drugs did their job, sending the creature floating weightless into the black void of unconsciousness.

------

"Dammit, Newbie, what's wrong with you?" Perry growled out as he left his apartment building. A full moon dominated a starless sky, those tiny pinpricks in the blanket of night blotted out by the light pollution of a well-populated city.

Three weeks. How could he be missing for over _three weeks_?

Perry tugged his jacket tighter over his broad shoulders and stamped out towards the road. _So cold out here_, he thought absently, _what if he's_- But Perry cut off his own thoughts before they could get to that point. Carla, Barbie and Gandhi had long ago hit that mark and were all left sad and desperately, but doubtfully, hoping for his safe return.

Had the doctor let himself go on, he'd have realized how worried he was. After the first 48 hours of a crime like this, the chances of finding the missing person plummeted. And after three weeks, well ... There was little hope now.

Perry looked up at his car sitting at the edge of the sidewalk beside a streetlamp, its artificial orange glow falling over rubbish and weeds growing in the cement's cracks. A cruel wind whipped up an old newspaper and sent it scuttling end over end down the road.

His eyes, following this litter, trailed across the street to where there was no streetlamp. In the shadows of the building and the curb, Perry's eyes grew wide at the sight of a figure curled up and shivering visibly at this distance.

"It can't be," Perry gasped as he started at a trot to reach this familiar form. Within half a heartbeat, he was sprinting through the cold till he came to a skidding stop before the fallen creature.

"_Newbie_."

Without hesitation, Perry gathered up JD in his arms, disturbed by how much lighter his body was, even more disturbed by these ... _new _appendages. Heaving up once to settle the motionless form in his arms bridal-style, Perry glanced around and shot across the street, back to the apartment building, up the flights of stairs, down the hallway and to the door. Without even fumbling for the keys, he grabbed for the knob and staggered in, kicking it shut behind him. Perry went on doggedly a few more paces before laying the kid out on the couch. Immediately, he whipped around and locked the door.

He couldn't believe it. Perry stood over the back of the couch as JD curled up in his ragged clothes. No, he _could _believe he'd just miraculously discovered JD laying in the gutters. He could even get passed the fact that his clothes were in near shreds from being worn through so much.

It was the ears that got him.

Atop JD's head of brunette hair were two pointed, gray-furred ears like that of a dog or wolf. Where normal ears might've been was covered with shaggy, unkempt hair. On top of all that, laying limply off the couch's edge at JD's rear, was a tail. Silvery-gray, shaggy-furred, without a doubt wolf, tail- attached to his body, even giving the occasional twitch.

Unable to be sure for himself, Perry reached out and gave the right ear an experimental tug. A look of pain immediately spread over JD's pale face in his slumber. That proved it was very much real.

"This can't be true. It's-it's just impossible!" Perry said incredulously to himself. Never in his life could he have thought this up. But, after a moment, Perry gave himself a shake and let the doctor side of his being settle in. He came back to JD's side and started various vital signs, starting at body temperature, then breathing and heart rate. After a few moments, it was obvious to Perry that, besides being near frozen, there was nothing wrong with his health.

He retrieved a blanket and laid it over JD's still form as he fitfully slept on. Perry was tempted to spread the news to Newbie's pals but he couldn't just yet. If word got to the police that a missing person was located, they'd come and investigate and whatnot, thereby inadvertently discovering JD's new features. Perry knew he couldn't let that happen. He had to know himself what JD's story was and he knew that JD would become big news, then subject to scientific research. He himself being a skilled doctor was baffled as to how JD's human body could readily accept canine flesh. The different dna and blood would have caused the ears and tail to die but apparently, they were very much alive.

Perry reached out and just barely brushed JD's face with his finger tips, just to reassure himself that he was actually here. He would never admit ever to anyone that in the time JD was missing, that he'd been sad. Albeit it was annoying to come to work every morning and hear this gal gibbering away in his ear, Perry knew that he had potential and, as he promised himself that he would never tell a living soul, it wasn't a far shout from absolutely heartbreaking that such a comforting constant like JD could just be snatched away.

Swallowing a lump of emotion in the back of his throat, Perry forgot whatever it was he had been heading to the store for and went back to bed. Then, with a tired groan as he lay to sleep, he thought agitatedly, _We'll figure this out in the morning_.

* * *

**so, there ya have it. there are more chapters coming soon. **


	2. My Freedom

**i actually like this story better than my other one, mainly because it's wolfy JD instead of innocently oblivious JD. and wolfies are always fun! XD**

**Summary: **JD, after disappearing for weeks, is found with the strangest new appearence. He can't 'fix' it and no one but Dr. Cox can know about it, So, can JD hide his big secret or will it leak out? And if it does, will it end up doing more damage than he ever imagined possible?

**Rating:** I'll stick with the T rating just so I have room to stretch my imagination. No rated M moments, though I might put those parts in a serperate fic so I can keep this one available to the the majority of the fanfic readers.

Regular text.

"Speaking."

Thinking.

(Author's notes within story.)

_

* * *

_

_Chapter Two: My Freedom_

JD came awake slowly, his awareness seeping back at a trickle then flooding in at the last moment. He shot straight up, causing blankets to fall crumpled at his waist. His canine ears cocked and pivoted, gray eyes wide and round as he glanced about. Darn it all though, this strange, warm place was oddly familiar.

Clutching confusedly at his cream-colored blanket, JD looked down at his body lying unrestrained on the couch. His hands came up slowly to his neck but there was no heavy, cold collar there to hinder his hands' exploration. Then JD's oddly feral eyes roamed sideways, first registering the couch, then the wall of shelves, then other pieces of furniture and doors.

This was real, JD soon realized. This couldn't possibly be another sedative-induced dream where he suddenly fell safe into the hands of his friends or mentor. No, the ears and the aches on his body told him that he had finally escaped that dark cell.

"Newbie?"

JD spun around to face an open door with a figure standing there, someone JD had hoped and prayed to see for many long, pain filled days. But even as JD looked up at this cautious man's form, he felt a number of emotions that weren't joy. An unexplainable fear spread icy heat through his veins (_adrenalin_, reminded a doctor-y voice in the corner of his mind). The other feeling though was undeniable fury.

This was surprising to JD himself. Right now, though, it was just raw hurt that his mentor had not shown up to save him. Later it would grow with reason and mix with self-hate and insecurity and would then blossom uncontrollably. Perhaps if someone stopped it now...

"Newbie, would you mind at all perhaps explaining this-" Perry motioned to the ears and tail with his hands, "to me?" The tone of contempt underlying the question made Perry believe that this wasn't a question out of concern but one in disbelief and scorn. That made it all right.

"Wha?" was all JD managed at first. His eyes were stinging with tears as well. This was the first living creature he'd seen in weeks. This was also the first word he'd said in weeks. He discovered within the first few days of his confinement that no one was there to hear his yells, even though they were at the top of his lungs and lasted till his throat was almost bloody from use.

Perry had to admit it. His heart, however small and dark it was, now twisted painfully in pity and concern. There was such a look of total wild confusion and fear on his face that Perry wondered what had possibly happened to push JD of all people to this.

The older man crossed the room carefully, cautiously, so as not to send JD into a panic. Perry had decided over an hour ago when he'd awakened that he play the whole situation be ear. If JD was well in mind enough to talk and move about, then he could get right down to the business of telling what happened. However, if this was not the case and JD was ill, as Perry assumed he was, Perry would just have to approach the situation with as much understanding and patience he could muster to figure out how messed up JD was.

JD instantly forgot his anger. He was _free_. Did anything else matter at all? JD once again brought his hands up to examine them. He didn't have to squint in the darkness of a cell, nor did he have to be mindful of a heavy chain tying him to the wall. JD made a choked sobbing sound as Perry sat stiffly on the couch., wondering if JD would burst into tears.

"Oh," JD said, realizing the tears had silently come in his joy, "I'm free... Dr. Cox, I'm free!" JD rose up, his eyes wild and joyous. But as he tried to stand, Perry put a hand against his chest and pushed him back down.

"Whoa there, Helen, you're not going anywhere in the state you're in," Perry said warningly, referring both to his deprived body conditions and the dog features. JD's heart fluttered.

The whole time he'd been gone, he'd been through a wide range of emotions, effectively becoming darker and wilder with time. In the beginning, he'd been hopeful and understanding. He knew the chances of his friends finding him in that godforsaken place were slim to none. Really, they were only human! How much could he expect when there were no traces for them to follow, no leads to learn off of?

But then the constant darkness and silence went to his head. He started blaming himself after a little while. Maybe they'd forgotten him by now and moved on. Maybe he would be lost forever while these strangers that kept torturing him. The positive maybes that JD had thought about in the beginning were dwindling.

Then, for the longest and last phase, JD had whimpered and growled to himself about how this couldn't possibly be his fault, that his closest friends were simply betrayers, perhaps they were even behind this, while inside, JD had either died or closed off that rational part of thinking forever.

But now, as Perry warned him, the slightest trickle of concern and interest in his tone, JD immediately knew that he'd do anything to keep that attention on him. He'd been alone and ignored for so long ...

The tears broke free, tumbling over his cheeks and jaw line. JD slouched forward, ears folded back in the rush of emotions and Perry wondered for a moment what to do. Then finally he knew, since it was obvious that the Newbie he'd known had been replaced by this hurt and unstable person who needed support.

So, as awkward as ever, Perry shifted closer and allowed JD to cry fitfully into his shoulder, one arm comfortingly over the smaller man's back. JD attempted to express how happy and relieved and overwhelmed by it he was but the quiver in his wolf tail and the flattened ears showed all of this at once.

Finally, after a moment, JD sniffled and drew back, hair in disarray and ears back as sudden uneasy embarrassment flushed his skin. Perry seized the moment without hesitation, for giving orders was one of his specialties.

"Now, you feel all better?" Perry said almost mockingly but even he wasn't low enough to strike that low a blow, "So do you care to explain?"

"Yes, sir." The words came unbidden from JD's lips, and, though something inside him made him unable to look Perry in the eye, his ears shot up in surprise at his own words. _Where did this sudden obedience come from? _Perry wondered then followed the notion that JD may have gotten more than a dog's ears and tail in the trade.

"First, of course, I was with Dan at dad's funeral. That went over well, except for a bit of trouble with the headstone... " JD's brow furrowed as these memories he didn't even know he had came suddenly. "I left but Dan decided to stay. I didn't know how he would hold up but I caught a bus over here. Since Dan wasn't coming, I left him some money and I didn't have enough for a plane ticket," JD explained suddenly, as if Perry had asked. Once again, JD looked a bit bewildered with himself. "It was a long ride and when I got back here, it was night time-"

"What day was it when you got back?" Perry asked, cutting in to his speech. JD looked down in thought, as if concentrating. It seemed his mind had started to slip in the darkness of that cell.

"Um, I think, it was a Tuesday. Yes, Tuesday the 10th, sir." JD, for perhaps that third time so far, looked shocked at what came from his own vocal cords. Perry flashed him an odd look but quickly fell quiet contemplation.

"So I was actually on this road. The bus stop is just on the corner, remember? Well, it's only a few blocks to my apartment from here so I was just going to walk when ..." Then JD fell silent, blinking as he tried to summon those images of faces, or the sounds of their voices. "But all I heard was the car stop behind me and then something hit my head and I blacked out." He reached up to the back of his skull but the bump had long healed. "Then I woke up ... in complete darkness. There was a-a," JD struggled here, as memories started to flood and overwhelm his mind. "There was a metal collar and a chain tying me to the wall. I was in a cell, like a prison cell, but I was alone. I don't know how long for, but it seemed like ages before something happened."

Squeezing his eyes shut, JD covered his ears out of habit. In the time he'd spent in the cell, whenever notions and recollections threatened to drive him nuts, this is what he did. He stayed like this for a few heartbeats and Perry waited in silence, both knowing that he couldn't push him to tell and shock keeping his mouth closed.

Soon, JD continued at a heated whisper, "Then there was a light just beyond the cell bars and a long gun pointed in at me. Before I could even shout, it shot me with a tranquilizer, I think. When I woke up, though, I'd been tossed back into the cell. My head and all the way down my spine to my tailbone burned and ached for ... Oh, I don't know how long. It was such a long time before I could even move and discover these." JD gave a wry smile and a small tug on his left ear.

"So you've been gone for ... Since the ... You've been gone for 26 days! What did they..." But Perry trailed off as JD began to tremble again, remembering those lonely, endless hours of agony.

"After awhile, the p-pain wore away and then the tranquilizer gun would reappear randomly. My chain was too short for me to get a glimpse at whoever was aiming it. They always seemed to ... They always seemed to know which corner I'd backed into."

Perry looked up awkwardly. Never before in his life had he fallen into such a situation. He reached out and patted Newbie's shoulder, JD closed his eyes and seemed to savor the human contact. How long had he gone without it in the terrible place ... ?

"So, JD," Perry said, trying to show how serious he was, "What are you gonna do?"

JD gave Perry a long, confused look, as if expecting some order. Then finally he said slowly, "I don't ... know."

* * *

**the next chapter will have more fun stuff like puppy-JD and maybe a lovey-dovey moment... :P**


	3. My New Day

**ohmygod! ohmygod! ohmygod! i skipped a chapter! noooo! ugh, i feel so stupid. well, here's the right chapter, sorry for any confusion. oh, i'm so embarrassed! thank you to the people who politely informed me of the situation. i'm gonna put up the next chapter since everyone's read it already now... **

**Summary: **JD, after disappearing for weeks, is found with the strangest new appearence. He can't 'fix' it and no one but Dr. Cox can know about it, So, can JD hide his big secret or will it leak out? And if it does, will it end up doing more damage than he ever imagined possible?

**Rating:** I'll stick with the T rating just so I have room to stretch my imagination. No rated M moments, though I might put those parts in a serperate fic so I can keep this one available to the the majority of the fanfic readers.

Regular text.

"Speaking."

Thinking.

(Author's notes within story.)

_

* * *

_

JD didn't object to being led away from the couch. It seemed that somewhere, deeply imbedded in his brain, he needed to be directed since he himself was not so assertive. Perry couldn't remember if JD had always acted this way but he didn't question the strange obedience, assuming that it was Newbie's nature and shock causing it.

Pushing JD into the bathroom, Perry stepped out and pulled the door shut just before calling in, "Take a shower. I suppose I'll let you borrow some of my clothes..." His voice trailed off as if he were walking away.

The young doctor looked around for a second. It was a small-ish room, with the regular sink-and-counter, toilet and shower/bathtub with a curtain. JD shivered and, since the pipes would be ice-cold, turned on the hot water so it could warm up. After pealing off his ragged clothes, JD slipped into the shower. His ears twitched as water drops pelted them, his wolf-like curling in agitation.

Gradually, JD felt his shoulders relax and he let the hot water soak his pale skin. How long had it been since he'd had a descent shower? JD hardly remember what his old apartment looked like, but at the moment it didn't matter. Ears back to prevent water from dripping in, JD decided to use the generic-brand shampoo that was three, knowing his hair was probably beyond damaged from his near month of captivity.

After scrubbing his skin till it was a near-pink color, JD felt satisfied that all traces of his imprisonment were washed away and that his hair was as clean as it would get with the products Perry had around, he stepped out. Unable to resist the opportunity, JD tossed his head and sent a spray of water off his hair and upper body, then subconsciously whipped his sodden tail to the side, bothered by how heavy with water it was.

JD fished around the closet and retrieved two heavy, blue towels, draping one around his waist and the other over his head. He didn't feel up to wrapping his hair up like a girl but rather let it fall limply over his forehead and shoulders while rubbing the sides of his head.

"Hey, Newbie!" Perry called from outside the door, his voice warped and muffled but still understandable. "If you're done, crack the door and I'll pass you a change of clothes." JD's gray ears twitched, rotating towards the sound.

There was silence from within the room then JD pulled the doors inwards slowly. Perry's hand shot in, gripping the clothes that he knew would be too large for JD but the younger man took then anyways.

As Perry began to walk away, annoyance punctuating his stride, a tentative voice called out. "Uh, Dr. Cox?" Perry stopped and went back close enough for JD's vice to be clearer.

"What?"

JD swallowed in embarrassment. "Uh, can I, um, cut a whole for my ... tail?"

The notion sounded absurd to both JD and Perry. For a second, Perry was furious at the prospect of his pants being ruined but then dropped his head in defeat. There was really no other alternative.

"Alright!" Perry rasped agitatedly but resignedly. "Just don't ... ruin'm too badly."

Moments later, after a bit of a scuffling sound, JD emerged slowly with his now-black hair still dripping. A slightly drooping-with-water tail swayed slowly behind him and his dark ears flicked down embarrassedly. JD felt oddly exposed without the long sleeves clinging to his arms like his old shirt did but it was rather comforting to have the short sleeves draping down to his elbows. Kinda reminded him of a cloak almost...

Shifting uncomfortably, JD passed him dirty clothes from hand to hand. His original nature was quickly returning, along with many basic memories, one of which reminded JD of Dr. Cox's short fuse. But Perry scoffed and signaled towards the bathroom.

"There's a basket in there. I suppose you're going to be hanging around here for awhile so you can put your laundry there too." Perry watched as JD hopped to it, reappearing as Perry walked away. JD followed without question once more. A familiar scent crossed JD's nose and his ears shot straight up as his mouth watered.

Perry directed JD to sit on the couch as Perry went around to the kitchen. While JD had been showering, Perry had taken it unto himself to make food. He would have never admitted, but a thousand red flags went off in his head that night before when he'd carried Newbie inside. And just now, as the large shirt had moved against JD's chest, Perry had glimpsed his ribs sticking out as if he were anorexic or had intestinal parasites or something...

"Come 'ere, Newbie!" Perry barked suddenly, causing JD to jump, ears folding back warily. But some unseen force seemed to push him to his feet and follow the sound of his mentor's voice.

On the counter in the kitchen, were two mugs of coffee, one creamier-colored, and two plates with bacon and scrambled eggs. Perry almost laughed at the light shining in JD's eyes and the childlike smile plastered across his face.

The older doctor tossed a fork to JD's plate, which clattered to stop on its white surface. "Well, Anna, what are you waiting for? Dig in."

JD could hardly contain himself with joy. Having the sense to pull one of the bar-stool style chairs closer to the counter, JD lifted the fork and wolfed down nearly half the contents of his plate before he looked up to an odd sound.

Perry's eyes were almost watering as he bit back quiet laughter. "Kid, kid! Slow down or you're gonna choke!"

Nodding as a red flush crept up his face, JD swallowed once and sipped his coffee, for once relishing the delicacy that was cheap coffee with a bit of milk and sugar. Perry hadn't been sure how or what they'd fed the kid but he was sure that JD hadn't tasted sugar in a long time. Plus, he had no idea how much of either Newbie put in his coffee so he just went with about 'a lot' of each.

Tearing through the meat like a feral dog, JD bit through it with the side of his mouth, not caring or not noticing the greasy texture on the surface. All he could think was how lucky he was to actually have _food _again! And meat at that. He couldn't remember if he'd had particular liking for that certain food group or if he'd somehow gained it while imprisoned but it sure as heck tasted good.

After the full meal, JD felt drowsy and filled up and would have been content to curl up into a ball on the couch and sleep but Perry felt that there were more pressing issues to attend to.

JD sat on the couch across from Perry, who was currently reclined in an armchair, running a hand over his hair, a bothered look on his face. JD struggled to keep his eyes open as Dr. Cox leaned forward.

"Now, Newbie I know how much you just want to sleep right now," Perry kept most of the scorn out of his tone, the doctor side of him knowing that JD's body must have been put through great amounts of strain and needed to recover, "I have to tell the police that a missing person's been found so they can possibly find who took you away."

Ears tensing forward at the notion of his tormentors being locked away, JD became more alert. He then blinked as he felt an anger rise from his gut. Immediately, JD knew he'd tell the police he'd been found, and yes, he'd give them as much information as possible. Why? JD wanted justice, but he didn't recognize that his passionate feeling was borderline lust for revenge.

"But-" Perry cut into JD's thoughts, "We can't have them know about this, this dog situation."

"Wolf," JD suddenly put in. He looked bewildered at his own words once more but in his gut, he knew that there was wolf DNA entwined with his own. Perry rolled his eyes at this though he wondered how Newbie had figured this out.

"Whatever, but we can't have this situation getting out. You'll be rejected for sure, and they'll be TV reporters around every corner, as well. But worst of all, the government will find some justification for taking you and figuring out how this all is possibly working. I actually am a bit baffled."

Perry wouldn't ever admit this either, but the idea of a wolf person made from science was confounding. There were just so many complications that would arise from such a creature. And now that he thought about, so many complications that could arise in JD.

But Perry shook off the notion as JD began to speak. Newbie's eyes looked away uncertainly, knowing that his idea was half-formed and even less tested.

"There is something that I think I can do," JD began hesitantly, "But once, when I was in that cell early on, I tried to distract myself by remembering some of the best times I'd ever had. Ya know, kinda relieve them in my head so I wouldn't dwell on ... how much it hurt ... "

For a second JD choked up and he almost moved to cover his ears like he had earlier. Perry didn't interrupt him and, as he'd assumed, JD recovered quickly. He simply shook his head and cleared his throat as if nothing happened.

"Anyways, when I started to remember those good times I'd had with Turk and occasionally Dan, or when I'd done something really well at Sacred heart, my ears and tail would get this tingling feeling and then, I just felt they were ... Gone. There was absolutely no light most of the time, so I couldn't see that they were gone, but I couldn't sense them anymore. And it felt like my regular ears were back ... "

Perry caught on instantly. "So if you just feel secure and content, they'll go away, for awhile at least?"

Faltering slightly, JD make an odd face. "I don't know. I'll try it though..."

JD trailed off and closed his eyes. He focused on how warm he felt, how safe he felt in a familiar apartment and on how not empty his stomach was. He focused also not on the physical comforts, but on how 'warm and fuzzy' feeling he'd felt when he realized how genuinely concerned Dr. Cox had been upon finding him.

Suddenly, Perry saw a brief glimmer of silvery-white light that seemed to emanate from the wolf ears and tail, causing his eyes to narrow against the glow, and just like that- they vanished. Appearing instantly, JD had normal ears, human ears, and there was no tail to speak of. He looked perfectly normal.

And, just as suddenly as the light had appeared, there came a knocking at the door. JD leapt up in a panic, eyes bright with terror. And just as the terror filled his stance, there was yet another flash of light, and the wolf features reappeared.

Perry gave a growl of annoyance as he rubbed his eyes, "Well, at least we know how the hide-dog-features mode works now."


	4. My Recovery

**i'm sooo embarrasssed! my sister's laughing at me. thanks again to everyone who's supporting my story.**

**Summary: **JD, after disappearing for weeks, is found with the strangest new appearence. He can't 'fix' it and no one but Dr. Cox can know about it, So, can JD hide his big secret or will it leak out? And if it does, will it end up doing more damage than he ever imagined possible?

**Rating:** I'll stick with the T rating just so I have room to stretch my imagination. No rated M moments, though I might put those parts in a serperate fic so I can keep this one available to the the majority of the fanfic readers.

Regular text.

"Speaking."

Thinking.

(Author's notes within story.)

_

* * *

_

After the little scare with the delivery man who needed a signature, JD returned from the back room, tail a-quiver in wary fear. Perry rolled his eyes, tossing the small package he'd just gotten aside.

"It's alright, Newbie, he's not here anymore," the older man assured. JD went lax, shoulders sagging, tail limp and ears folded back with relief. He scurried quickly back to the couch and sat heavily on it. He had been terrified at the prospect of someone seeing him this way. In fact, he could not even describe how relieved he was to find Dr. Cox not repulsed by him, well, beyond what he already was.

Perry returned to his easy chair and did not hesitate to jump right back to business, "So, now we know you can go from wolfy to normal to wolfy again, but how long can you stay normal?"

JD flicked his ear nervously. "I guess ... I guess I can stay as long as I don't feel the need to protect myself." It hadn't taken long for JD to realize this, but during that whole time in that cell, he'd been on the edge, either desperate to jump to any escape route or wallowing in self-pity and misery. Both situations, he decided, could be considered a situation where he'd felt the need to defend himself or where he didn't feel safe.

That one time he'd tricked himself into thinking he was safe had been relatively easy to achieve. And just now, JD had forced himself to calm down and realize how safe and secure he was even though he was precariously close to having his entire life ruined forever. Both these times, JD saw it was easy to make himself believe he was okay.

"Newbie?" Perry suddenly cut in, agitated. "Hey, listen up!" JD jerked from his thoughts and Perry forced away a smile. Yep, JD was definitely back. "We- I mean, you're going to have to have to get this staying in normal mode thing down pat. And I mean that. You're going to have to go 15 or 20 or even 30 hour stretches without going wolfy! Plus, you're need to force all jumpiness out of your system. I mean, a knock at the door sent you into a panic. That's just ridiculous."

Surprisingly, Perry found the insulting tone roll off his tongue just like old times, even if he was a bit rusty on the endless list of girl's names. JD, being the irrepressible guy he was, seemed unbothered by his tone. In fact, his ears came back up and the thick tail beside him flopped slowly like a content dog's would.

Perry bit back a grin by scowling. "Don't get all smiley on me. You've got a lot of work to do."

And just like that, JD's grin faltered and his ear twitched self-consciously. The left one, Perry noticed, was always the one that twitched when JD was bothered. Also, Perry was finding it difficult to summon up that irritation that normal Dr. Cox would have had with Newbie's sensitivity.

"Fine," the older doctor said suddenly, standing up suddenly. JD looked a little frightened to see a person, although it was only Perry, towering over him. "_We've _got a lot of work to do." JD repressed a smile, then struggled to push away a yawn as well.

Perry went over a mental to-do list. "Well, after we go to the police and you give your story, you're going to be sent to the hospital for a check-up. Despite the fact that you're looking healthier already-" and Perry meant that, "- we'll have to make sure you haven't caught any hard to see things, and then of course, you'll have your little friends jumping to see you again."

Suddenly, JD's face lit up at the prospect of seeing Carla, Turk and Elliot again. He pushed away that nagging dark thought that had been born in the darkness of his cell, the one that growled and muttered and whispered about how none of them had rescued him. JD didn't give this dark notion much thought, only ignoring it whenever it was sparked by something.

"Hey, what'd I say about getting all smiley?" Perry reminded him, but with much less bite to his voice. "Now, what sort of problems do you think are gonna come up during this?"

Having already sort of thought about this already, JD went over that list he'd made in his head. "Well, I think I'm gonna have a problem with commotions. Big crowds, bright lights and loud noises, those could all get me to panic." JD briefly wondered how he could so readily pour out his weaknesses to someone who'd been tormenting him for years. Then, he have a nervous laugh. "I mean, I don't think I've seen sunlight in a month or so."

He couldn't really describe it, but Perry realized that a slow-burning anger had grown in his gut. Seeing JD flinch from quick motions, the pale, sunken tone to his skin and how emaciated he was, set Perry itching to find whoever had taken JD away and punish them. Painfully.

But Perry shook these thoughts away. _I'm not actually concerned _about _JD. I'll admit that I was angry to lose a kid with such potential, but only 'cause it meant more work for me. Perry doesn't do emotions beside anger, much less emotions for such a pain-in-the-ass girl like Newbie..._

"Well, let's get you used to these things. Of course, it's going to be hard to get you to be more of a man than you were before you got these wolfy features. You were jumpy even then." Perry glanced over to the window as dusty morning sunlight streamed in. He'd suddenly been reminded of the drama that had taken place while JD had been gone.

------

_The door slammed shut with a resounding bang, leaving one red-faced, furious Perry in the room. His face was contorted in absolute, vicious anger._

"_Fine! Go to you mother's house but I will _never _admit that I even __**miss **__the kid. I don't know what someone slipped you that could even make you begin to think that I could actually have _feelings _for that useless waste of air that calls itself a doctor! I don't care if he's found dead in ditch! I don't care if he's even ever _found_! It's all the better for me if that babbling idiot is never seen again!"_

_As the sound of Jordan's heels clacking down the hall faded along with Jack's wails, Perry fell quiet, quivering with emotions other than rage as his mind began turning slowly. What JD _was _found dead in a ditch? What if he _never _came back?_

------

Perry closed his eyes against the memory as JD gave him a questioning look, tipping his to the side like a puppy. Perry narrowed his eyes in annoyance he had to struggle to find.

"Don't do that," Perry growled, "Now find a way to go to 'normal' mode. You're going to have to perfect that in the next hour."

The reason why Perry was so anxious to hurry and get JD to the police station was because, though he wasn't an expert at law mumbo-jumbo, he was sure that he could get in trouble for withholding a missing person and _that _was unnecessary trouble that Perry would not get into. So, to prevent said trouble, Perry was going to prep Newbie for the world he'd been cut off from for so long.

Within the next few minutes, JD had donned Perry's hoodie and allowed himself to be led to the door. Suddenly, tight ball of alarm constricted JD's chest and he had to struggle to keep his ears from returning.

Perry prodded JD with his finger and JD nearly jumped. To his surprise, Perry had an odd look of concern and annoyance, the two sides of his personality contradicting each other. After a moment, Perry shook his head and let his concern wash over his face.

"It's alright JD." JD's eyes widened at the use of his name. "You now you can do this."

JD flashed Perry a strained smile, nodded and stepped into the hallway. _Good. I got this far, about ... three steps. Just a few more ... A few more ... Stairs? Enclosed space that I could fall and die on? No problem. Okay, don't stumble, at least not in front of Dr. Cox ... _JD blinked and suddenly found his feet stepping out onto the sidewalk, heatless sunlight splashing across his face. His breath hitched and he realized all he'd missed. Sunshine and rainstorms, light and warmth, people who cared about him, any people at all... Even those dark thoughts from before couldn't pierce JD's indescribable elation at the moment.

"Well, are you waiting for a doggie treat? You got this far easily, keep going!" Perry's forceful voice suddenly filled JD with an odd strength. He'd felt it before, heck, he'd been feeling since the first day Dr. Cox had snarled at him. JD had even used the technique before to motivate someone else. _What would I do without him? _JD suddenly wondered.

For the next few minutes, JD made his way down the sidewalk, dreary winter sunlight illuminating a slow morning of few cars and even less people. The only thing was that at every sudden sound or movement, JD was nearly sent running. Even with Perry's support, after four cars and a group of kids, JD's nerves were frayed.

"Okay, I can control the ears and tail, can we go inside, _please_?" JD hated to sound like he was begging but it was all he could do before he snapped and ran for it.

Perry growled but decided JD had proved himself. "Alright, Newbie. You can rest or whatever but we are going to the police station today. Can you handle being questioned?"

JD blinked and thought about it. How did the police question missing people once they returned? Would they believe his story, despite the major holes that would be in it even if he told everything he knew? After a moment, JD gave up on trying to figure it out, only figuring that there'd be a lot of chaos, and nodded to Perry.

With that, the older doctor led JD up the stairs and inside the apartment where he promptly flopped onto the couch. There was a small flash of light and immediately, wolf ears returned to his head and a tail flicked agitatedly. With a small sigh of exhaustion, JD looked up at Perry.

"Why does it bother me so much?" JD finally growled, frustrated, "All I did was walk down the street and I nearly panicked! It's not like they beat me with sticks or something. Is it against my nature now to be around people?"

But as usually, Perry had a sharp reprimand ready. "Stop whining, Newbie. What you went through, weeks of darkness and isolation, was very traumatic. You're not just going to be all better overnight. You need to give yourself time. Besides, if you push it, you could end up ruining your life."

He didn't need to say how. If JD pushed himself to hard and ended up revealing his secret to the world, he'd undoubtedly be unable to have a regular life ever again.

With a small whimper, JD's ear flicked back in doubt, but he sighed as the nervous energy left him and he curled up on the couch to rest. Perry tried to think scornfully about JD to deny how worried he was at heart, but he found himself quite unable. In fact, if he wasn't so incredibly stubborn, Perry would have given into his heart's urges and settled beside JD on the couch.


	5. My Reunion

**Jeebus, what's this? An update? Whaaat? Haha wow! I didn't know people did **_**that **_**anymore! Enjoy. Please R&R ;3**

**Summary**: JD, after disappearing for weeks, is found with the strangest new appearence. He can't 'fix' it and no one but Dr. Cox can know about it, So, can JD hide his big secret or will it leak out? And if it does, will it end up doing more damage than he ever imagined possible?

**Rating**: I'll stick with the T rating just so I have room to stretch my imagination. No rated M moments, though I might put those parts in a serperate fic so I can keep this one available to the the majority of the fanfic readers.

Regular text.

"Speaking."

_Thinking_.

(Author's notes within story.)

* * *

_Chapter Five: My Reunion_

JD landed facedown on the couch with a stressed moan. "That was the worst two hours of my life."

Perry gave him a sympathetic look, knowing he couldn't see it from where he lay, and replied briskly, "Well, it's not over yet. You gotta get back to work. We've been fighting Kelso to not write you out of the hospital staff list. Geez, I hope you give ol' Bobbo a heart attack when you get back."

Sitting up slowly, JD gave his mentor a half-hearted glare. He wanted to be done with the commotion so bad! All the noises, the people pushing and prodding, it was driving him nuts. And he still had to get to the hospital for a checkup or whatever!

The ride there was oddly comforting for JD. He spent that majority of the time with his arms against the door, gazing out the window. Perry kept reminding him to keep his ears under control so nobody saw them through the window but it was only once they'd pulled up to the hospital front that he really started to worry. JD climbed out of the car by himself with a nervous gulp. _How long has it been? _he wondered just as a familiar face came into view. Suddenly, his sight began to blur as tears surfaced.

"JD!" a voice screeched to the fullest of its ability, which was surprisingly high for this man in particular. Warmth flooded JD and all worry and stress flowed out. His gray eyes picked over the features, features he'd known for years and years.

It was Turk that vaulted over the ramp rail and bushes and grabbed JD in a running hug. JD managed to choke out Turk's name as the air was crushed from his body. At the entrance, Carla was standing, eyes wide, hands over her mouth. Elliot was bouncing with nervous energy as tears sprang instantly to her eyes. In an instant, the pair dashed down the steps and joined together in a group hug with JD at the heart of it.

After a moment, JD felt Turk pull away and drag an arm over his eyes, but his were still bright with fresh tears. His mouth opened and shut several times as if he had a million questions but none could reach his lips, so he settled for a simple statement.

"JD," Turk said, his voice breaking as he pulled back, hands gripping JD's shoulders, "We thought- I thought that you might've, you could've... "

Suddenly Carla's hands were touching his product-free hair, his sunken cheeks, his jaw line, as if to reassure herself that this was no imposter and that this _real _Bambi wasn't injured anywhere. In the background somewhere, JD heard Elliot's voice hit an ear-piercingly high pitch at which she immediately began to pour out her heart, saying how they had looked and looked and that there'd been so many dead end leads and- was that Dr. Cox's pants he was wearing?

For several moments, JD basked in the ecstatic, concerned glow of his friends until Elliot's words returned to a regular frequency and Carla's look-over was complete. Turk sniffled and wiped his eyes once more before asking the question they were dying to know:

"So, what happened to you?"

JD's breath caught in his throat. Should he tell the truth and reveal the secret that could ruin his life forever? He knew that each of his friends wouldn't ever deliberately give it away but there was always that small chance. Filled with indecision, JD glanced back at Perry, who'd restrained himself coolly from the tear-fest. JD saw his nearly imperceptible head shake and decided to go with Perry's idea. He would tell the story but leave out the dog part.

So JD dropped his head, almost wishing he could reveal his dog ears and fold them back to emphasize his fear as he replied shakily, "I think we should talk about that later, somewhere with less of a chance of someone overhearing."

A chill stole over his friends' skin and their smiles faltered noticeably. JD's eyes flickered upwards, seeking support from who-knows-what.

------

After a short but nonetheless nerve-wracking interrogation from Kelso, JD received the okay to return to work that afternoon. The daunting old man just waved his hand, signaling JD better leave his office now or suffer the consequences. Once in the safety of the hallway, he released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding and looked up for Perry, and found him waiting just down the hall.

The older man's eyes narrowed and JD leaned away apprehensively. "You, follow me."

JD found no quarrel with being ordered to follow. In fact, he found it much easier with the stern direction and the watchful eye Perry provided. JD found long buried memories of his medical training returning, as well as how to work with all the quirks of the hospital.

As they entered the room of a middle-aged man that Perry was already looming over, JD suddenly stopped, eyes locked on the tray next to the bed. Perry looked up just seconds before the man did at the sight of a , barely in time to grab JD and shove him to the ground. Huddled past the footboard of the bed, passed the patient's line of vision, JD froze tensely.

"Dropped my pen! JD, _get it for me_." Perry had an alarming note of urgency in his voice that sent a quiver of adrenaline through JD. He continued to crouch just out of sight, pointed ears folded back to protect them lest a fight break out.

Wait, ears? JD reached up and bit back a yelp of surprise. Sure enough, there protruding so naturally from his head were two pointed, wolf ears. Gritting his teeth and screwing his eyes shut, JD took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down and focused on his human self. A split-second later, another, more subdued flash blinked momentarily into being and JD bounced to his feet.

With strained cheerfulness, JD replied, "Sorry Dr. Cox, I don't see a pen."

"Then let's go get another," Perry growled, already dragging JD across the room and out the door. "We'll be back in just a moment, Mr. Taylor." After they got into the hall and shut the door, Perry whirled on his protégé, about to unleash his rage, and stopped dead.

JD was quivering and sheet-white, eyes wide, struggling to control the urge to run away. Perry became concerned, prodding the young man with a simple question.

"Newbie? Ya in there?"

"Sorry," JD said, blinking hard to rid himself of dark memories encroaching upon his mind's eye. He pressed his head into his hands. "It's just... That's the first time I've seen a n-needle since w-what happened." JD shuddered, unconsciously rubbing the inside of his forearm where tiny, red pinpricks were still visible.

Perry, deflated and knowing he could not storm down the path he wanted to take, settled for a half-hearted growl and reentered the room. The feeling left in his wake, though, spelled out his hunger to know every detail of what had happened. JD realized he might not ever be able to tell anyone though. Everything that had happened to him in that lab.

It was about lunch when they parted ways, Perry almost reluctantly leaving JD in Carla's hands. She fought an amused grin. If JD still had his tail, he would have flicked it in irritation.

"What?" he said indignantly. Carla just waved him off but was inwardly pleased to see how bright JD's eyes were and how easily he stood. She'd been secretly fretting that he'd be so hurt or scarred that he'd never recover but seeing him now, most of that anxiety subsided.

"Oh, nothing," Carla said teasingly, "It's just cute how much Dr. Cox cares about you." JD looked astonished and even a little hopeful, which stirred Carla's curiosity. She prodded further. "You think he would have taken care of you if he didn't care? What's worrying you, anyway?"

Now that she noticed, JD did have an odd tension about him that wasn't really fear or anxiety, but more like a continuous anticipation. He'd been surprisingly quick all throughout the day, even when he drifted off to JD land- like catching something before it hit the ground or greeting someone almost before they rounded the corner of a hallway. That wasn't how isolation and torture victims acted, but JD had the scars to prove those things did happen to him. So what else had happened? What sort of thing gave a person cat-like reflexes and the ability to seemingly see into the future?

JD sensed Carla's razor-sharp mind working him over, noticing little details, and suddenly got the strangest notion. Perry was the leader. That's just how it worked. But with Carla here, it was as if her and Perry were butting heads. JD's human mind smoothed out the rough edges of the pack design, and somehow was okay with two leaders. Snapping back to reality in a heartbeat, though, JD zeroed in on the clock. It was his first day back so he was only staying until two, with Turk to guide him back to his apartment.

"Oh well, I'm just hungry," JD said, flashing oddly sharp teeth in a little smile. "Let's get something to eat." Carla let him blatantly avoid her question and agreed with her motherly yet cunning smile. She walked with him through the lunch line and over to the table Elliot and Turk were sharing. Turk greeted him with a bright grin, as if he couldn't get over the fact he was back, and Elliot tried to say hi and swallow at the same time.

"Hey guys," JD said as he settled down, gripping a hamburger in his thin hands, "I don't know about you, but I feel like I haven't eaten all day!" With a healthy appetite to say the least, he dug in, which only seemed to encourage his dear friends. Only Carla, though, seemed to realize that something was a little strange.

His teeth. They were so… pointy. And his eyes, so bright and alert. His movements, his mannerisms, his stance- it was all slightly different. Feral. Carla remembered to eat just in time to avoid suspicion but now she was sure.

JD had changed, and she wanted to know just how much he had.

* * *

**haha TLDR right? well, a review, just any review, will prompt an update. Really, I just wanna know SOMEONE's reading this mess. Thanks for your time, readers!**


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